Hand baggage

Little Red (UK domestic)

Number of items

One

Maximum size

23 x 36 x 56 cm (that’s approx. 9 x 14 x 22 inches)

Maximum weight

10kg (22 lb)

Please note that a garment bag cannot be used as your hand baggage unless it fits the dimensions of the hand baggage allowance. If you’d like to bring one but it exceeds 23 x 36 x 56 cm, it will need to be as additional checked in baggage.

If you want to take your laptop onboard, you'll need to place it in your original hand baggage or check your hand baggage in.

Please note, you must be able to place your hand baggage in the overhead bins unaided.

If you are connecting onto Virgin Atlantic and travelling in Upper Class, you will be entitled to the Upper Class baggage allowance.

Virgin Atlantic Little Red flights are operated by Aer Lingus.

Economy

Number of items

One

Maximum size

23 x 36 x 56 cm (that’s approx. 9 x 14 x 22 inches)

Maximum weight

10kg (22 lb)

Please note that a garment bag cannot be used as your hand baggage unless it fits the dimensions of the hand baggage allowance. If you’d like to bring one but it exceeds 23 x 36 x 56 cm, it will need to be as additional checked in baggage.

If you want to take your laptop onboard, you'll need to place it in your original hand baggage or check your hand baggage in.

Please note, you must be able to place your hand baggage in the overhead bins unaided.

Premium Economy

Number of items

One

Maximum size

23 x 36 x 56 cm (that’s approx. 9 x 14 x 22 inches)

Maximum weight

10kg (22 lb)

Please note that a garment bag cannot be used as your hand baggage unless it fits the dimensions of the hand baggage allowance. If you’d like to bring one but it exceeds 23 x 36 x 56 cm, it will need to be as additional checked in baggage.

If you want to take your laptop onboard, you'll need to place it in your original hand baggage or check your hand baggage in.

Please note, you must be able to place your hand baggage in the overhead bins unaided.

Upper Class

Number of items

Two

Maximum size (each item)

23 x 36 x 56 cm (that’s approx 9 x 14 x 22 inches)

Maximum weight (combined)

16kg (35 lb)

Maximum weight (individual item)

12 kg (26 lb)

In Upper Class, your hand baggage can also include one garment bag, 20cm (8 inches) thick – again, this shouldn’t exceed 12kg in weight. This will count towards your two bag limit.

Please note, you must be able to place your hand baggage in the overhead bins unaided.

The Upper Class hand baggage allowance also applies to children age 2+.

Children and infants

Number of items

One

Maximum size

23 x 36 x 56 cm (that’s approx. 9 x 14 x 22 inches)

Maximum weight (infant aged 0-2)

6kg (13 lb)

Maximum weight (children aged 2+)

10kg (22 lb)

Passengers travelling with infants or children can bring a fully collapsible pushchair and car seat, in addition to their free check in luggage allowance.

Please note, you must be able to place your hand baggage in the overhead bins unaided.

Children age 2+ travelling in the Upper Class cabin are entitled to Upper Class baggage allowance.

Additional items you can bring with you

To help with baggage conundrums, we’ve compiled the following list to clarify the bits and bobs you can take onboard in addition to the allowances above:

Your handbag, small backpack/rucksack, pocketbook or purse, as you would normally use it (in other words, not just being used to contain items that would otherwise be regarded as baggage).

Your overcoat or wrap.

Your umbrella or walking stick (these cannot be pointed or sharp).

A small camera and/or pair of binoculars.

A reasonable amount of reading matter for the flight.

An infant’s food (for consumption on the flight).

A small amount of duty free goods.

Headphones for onboard use (they’ll need the standard 3.5mm jack).

If you bring large electrical items with you (such as laptops), please remember that you’ll need to remove them from your bag for security screening. You’ll be asked to place them in a tray so they can be clearly scanned.

Mobility aids such as walking aids and manual collapsible wheelchairs can also be taken on-board some of our flights. Where space isn’t available onboard your wheelchair will be placed in the hold and brought out first after landing so that it is ready for you at the gate or baggage reclaim area, depending on the security rules at the airport. Bear in mind that they’ll need to be x-rayed or searched thoroughly at security, though.

Here's what you can't carry onboard...

In the interests of passenger safety, we can’t allow the following items in hand luggage:

...and here's what you can.

Cigarette lighters including butane, absorbed fuel (Zippo style) and battery-powered lighters can be carried on the person, except on flights to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Tobago, Havana and Delhi.

Note that you can carry these items onboard, but you can’t smoke them!

Additional security information

Do not pack wrapped gifts as our security agents may have to unwrap them for the purpose of searches

Remember that no sharp objects are permitted in your hand baggage, so pack them in your hold luggage before checking in. All sharp items in hand baggage will be removed and confiscated at security search and anyone trying to take an illegal item through security could be prosecuted

Open drinks are not allowed through security controls

Do not carry packages at the request of people not known to you

Do not leave your baggage unattended at any time

Take all reasonable steps to prevent anyone from placing anything in your baggage without your knowledge

The security measures in place are there to protect you, and we ask for your co-operation and patience. Please proceed to the security control and then the departure gate in a timely manner as we will not delay an aircraft departure due to late arriving passengers

Electronic cigarettes

Electronic cigarettes are a device that looks like a cigarette and works by creating a vapor, which contains nicotine. Electronic cigarettes are NOT permitted to be used onboard our aircraft.

Hypodermic syringes

We realise it’s essential for some of our passengers to carry hypodermic needles and other medical equipment in order to treat a medical condition. If you have a medical reason that requires you to inject during the course of a flight, naturally you can carry your syringes in your hand baggage.

However, please ensure you’re able to provide adequate medical evidence in the form of a doctor’s letter and prescription. You’ll be asked to show this when you check in and at security screening, and you should keep it with you at all times. We also ask that you bring your own sharps box so you can dispose of your needles safely and hygienically. For more information, please refer to our page on flying with medication.

Musical instruments

If you’re planning on bringing a musical instrument with you, bear in mind it may not fit within your hand baggage allowance.

If it exceeds the hand baggage allowance measurements, you’ll need to check it in (and pay an additional baggage fee, if it takes you over your check in allowance).

However, rather than checking it in on the spot we’ll still ask you to carry it through to the airport security checkpoint (subject to relevant Airport Security approval). As instruments are especially fragile, this ensures safer carriage. It will be taken at the departure gate for loading into the hold of the aircraft, so please make sure it’s suitably protected when you pack it.

Alternatively, you can carry a maximum of two instruments onboard if you book a seat for each one. Each instrument cannot exceed 75kg (165 lb) and its centre of mass should be no more than 30cm (12 inches) above the top of the seat cushion.

For any questions about bringing a large musical instrument, please contact us in advance of your flight.

Little Red (UK domestic) flights

Musical instruments are not permitted as hand baggage on Little Red (UK domestic) flights and must be checked in as check in baggage.

Wedding dresses

You are welcome to take your dress on-board in addition to your hand luggage. Our Crew will, where space permits, hang your dress for you but on some flights the wardrobe space is very limited and we cannot guarantee this. Please pack your dress in a box or bag so that when the crew can’t find space to hang it, it can be safely stowed. This service is not available on Little Red (UK domestic) flights.

If you prefer not to carry it and would like to check it in, please pack the dress into a separate suitcase and mark the suitcase as ‘fragile wedding garments’. Where possible the dress should be packed into a plastic bag for extra protection. Please note that if the separate suitcase is outside of your baggage allowance you will have to purchase excess baggage (this is not a free service).